Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-01-28
GREAT MEMS WHDS.
Strange Conceits of Prominent Politicians
The Crack Walking Case.
Boston Traveller

strange IoHctitS Ol IrOHllnent Iolltitldns-
The Crack Walking Case.
Boston Traveller
Great men have whims as well as small
ones, and public personages are frequent
ly very queer upon some particular thing
Probably ex-Atty. Gen. Brewster had the
strongest conceit of any man who ever
came to Washington. He liked an open
CRATE fire, but somehow he detested the
color of coal. The contrast of the black
coal and the red and blue flames was most
distastGf ul to him, so his servants had or
ders to sprinkle the fuel literally with
whitewash, which he had on hand for the
purpose. If there was such thing as
white coal, Brewster would pay more
for it than any other man living.
Ben Butler has a whim. OF late years
he is seldom without piece of slippery
elm in his mouth, which he declares is an
admirable specific for nervousness. Years
ago Butler was smoker. Then he took
what is known as dry smoke-that is, he
went through the motions of smoking
with an unlighted cigar in his mouth
From that he was graduated to slippery
elm, and there is no telling which higher
course he will take next.
Congressman Glover, of st. Louis, who
is about to marry the wealthy Miss Pat
ten, is tolu fend, and the first thing he
does in the morning when he gets out OF
bed is to reach for q wad of his beloved
tolu. He chews it all day, and rumo1
says it is the last thing he removes al
night. Glover isn't very pretty man
any way, and the unceasing movement OF
those jaws hour after hour does not add
any to his beauty.
Senator Beck's whim is that he can II OF
ST eak unless he arises with penholder
in his right hand, which he always slams
down upon his desk before he has spoken
a dozen words.
There are several members of congress
who have what is known as the crack
walking craze. Not one of these men
would step upon crack in a days walk
unless obliged to do so by the presence of
a brick Sidewalk. They will walk from
the capitol and go the entire length of
Pennsylvania avenue as far as the treas
ury department and not step OH single
crack. There is a certain scientific man
here whose namei is known all over the
civilized world. Knowing him to be a
crackwalker, The Traveller correspondent
asked him how the habit became fixed on
him. After being assured that his name
would not be given he said:
II have had this crack walking habit
for twenty years. In the first place
started just for fun TO see if could aToid
stepping on a crack in going a certain
distance. l found l could and l made
up my mind to do it for that day. AS l
had great amount of walking to do then
this craze was e sort of pleasing diversion.
Then it became settled habit. I have
tried to break it 10 time and time again,
but it has such hold on me that l pre-
sumo l will remain crack walker to the
end of nay days. There is enc peculiar
ity about crack walking and that is that
If l should happen to step on crack by
accident, it would upset me for the day.
Whenever l have done this / 60 back and
step over the crack. 1 can't tell why do
it, but do. Several times l have made
up my mind TO forget all about my mis-
step on my way to the Office. but couldn't.
l have even sat down here in a nervous
terror for two hours, trying to overcome
the feeling, and at the end put on my
coat and hat and walked down the street
to step over that hateful crack. l know
of Others that are as badly afflicted az
am. They are all people of nervous tenn
peraments."